Gordon, who was disqualified at the time and had no insurance, made off on foot, but did not get very far before he was caught and arrested.

It was obvious he was drunk, and a breath-test showed he was double the legal alcohol limit, although when he was interviewed he denied he had been the driver.

Mr Tucker pointed out that Gordon had been disqualified in January for an excess alcohol offence.

Saleema Mahmood, defending, said: “He knows Your Honour could, and probably would, send him to immediate custody because of the driving he undertook some six months after his last appearance before the court.

“The pre-sentence report, however, may persuade Your Honour that a sentence of immediate imprisonment is not a sentence which would best address the reason why he is before the court.

“He has a long-standing history of alcohol abuse which he has not sought until now to address, and he has now sought to connect with the Recovery Team and has found a job.”

She said the offence took place because Gordon had been out with friends who were more intoxicated than him, and he chose to get into the car to drive the short distance to his home.

“But my judgment is that your previous opportunity was your first, best and last chance because, on Christmas Day last year, you were driving a vehicle while drunk.

“You must have known you would go to prison if you drove while disqualified. On this night you were driving in an erratic manner; even though you were drunk, you knew what the consequences would be and you drove off.

“It is a considerable mercy that no-one, not least yourself, was injured as a result of this.”